Fitness Tracker

[m11rphy]

Hi Guys, I have 2 very nice watches that I have no interest in swapping for an apple watch. However Im looking for a fitness tracker band and have no idea which one to get. I was looking at the Jawbone Up3 but the HR reading is only resting heartbeat and doesn't track during exercise, the Fitbit HR doesn't link with apple health kit. is there any other trackers i should look at or wait for an update jawbone ?

 

[maflynn]

My wife loves her fitbit charge HR, I have the fitbit surge which is nice. The surge has a GPS a display. The MS Band is also another one to consider though I didn't find that one terribly comfortable.

 

[exxxviii]

Fitbit is the dominant market leader in activity tracking. Personally, I do not place much value in Apple Health. My hunch is that FB chose not integrate with HealthKit because the whole Apple health app stack is a stinking turd-- FB is vastly superior. The top two, in my humble opinion, are the FB Charge HR and FB Surge, depending on whether you want the GPS and more robust features of the Surge.

FB's strengths are its user base; mature activity, health, and fitness app platform; and social networking. No one else is even remotely close. The activity tracking hardware from everyone (including the AW) is largely a commodity item. If the activity tracking is important, then you do not want to undervalue the importance of the app and user platform.

I have an AW and I really like it. But, I use FB for activity tracking and health. Apple has a few years of catch-up work before I will give up my FB universe.

 

[maflynn]

My hunch is that FB chose not integrate with HealthKit because the whole Apple health app stack is a stinking turd-

I think FB is not embracing health kit for the very reason they are the dominant player and they don't want be seen as following apple, which may hurt their position. I can't say one way or another regarding the quality of the health kit but I think FB's decision is more business related then technology or quality of what apple provides.

 

[exxxviii]

I think FB is not embracing health kit for the very reason they are the dominant player and they don't want be seen as following apple, which may hurt their position. I can't say one way or another regarding the quality of the health kit but I think FB's decision is more business related then technology or quality of what apple provides.

I agree that was probably the true reason. Then, when they evaluated the poor Apple Health user experience, they realized that there was no up side.

 

[udontno]

Hi Guys, I have 2 very nice watches that I have no interest in swapping for an apple watch. However Im looking for a fitness tracker band and have no idea which one to get. I was looking at the Jawbone Up3 but the HR reading is only resting heartbeat and doesn't track during exercise, the Fitbit HR doesn't link with apple health kit. is there any other trackers i should look at or wait for an update jawbone ?

I really enjoy my Charge HR. I have seen apps in the app store saying that they could get Fitbit data into Healthkit but I haven't bought them... not interested in using the Health app.

If anyone wants to add me on fitbit, here is my link.

 

[maflynn]

The funny thing is I got my Fitbit Surge for running (it has a GPS) but thanks to the notifications I get, I'm wondering if the  watch may be nice. That is when I teach karate, I get a notification that my phone is ringing or I have a text message. I can see the text (or at least partial text) but it may be nice to be able to quickly answer it via the watch.

Overall the fitbit is nice though I noticed some wear and tear on the band that I'm not liking - I'll probably call support on that and see what they say.

 

[ozaz]

OP, I don't have an answer for you, but would like to add a few questions to the thread, which are loosely related to your question about links with health kit and so any answers might be useful to you (in addition to me). Hope you don't mind.

One thing that's slowed me from getting round to trying a fitness/activity tracker is I don't understand the implications of my choice on long term availability of the accumulated data: e.g. if I use a Fitbit for a year and then decide I want to switch to Jawbone, can I bring my accumulated data with me into Jawbone's platform or do I have to start again? Are there companies that embrace interoperability more than others? Is there an article on the web that explores these issues in depth?

 

[exxxviii]

One thing that's slowed me from getting round to trying a fitness/activity tracker is I don't understand the implications of my choice on long term availability of the accumulated data: e.g. if I use a Fitbit for a year and then decide I want to switch to Jawbone, can I bring my accumulated data with me into Jawbone's platform or do I have to start again? Are there companies that embrace interoperability more than others? Is there an article on the web that explores these issues in depth?

Check out DCRainmaker.com for some decent reviews and maybe pointers to other information.

In general, data do not move easily between platforms. So, if you start in Fitbit, you will not likely be able to move your data to Jawbone. However, there are a few platforms that are independent of hardware, and most of these offer ways to sync data from the device platforms to the independent platforms. Check out Strava.com, TrainingPeaks.com, myfitnesspal.com, etc. Some of these may be optimized more for activity tracking versus fitness, you you can research to figure it out.

 

[zOne31]

I've recently been getting more into fitness and have looked at a fitness tracker. I think ideally, I'd want an AW (Sport edition) but I think the high cost and first generation product are a big turn off for me right now. Maybe in a year or two when, hopefully, the price goes down a little.

The Fitbit Charge HR looks promising and that's the one I'm heavily considering right now. On the other hand, I'm hoping AndroidWear works with iOS so I can get something like the Moto 360.

 

[m11rphy]

I think I may just give up on HR monitoring and get a jawbone up. I prefer the looks of the up24 over the up2. Is there reason the up2 would be the better buy ?

 

[exxxviii]

Play with their mobile app stack also. The data collection hardware is a commodity-- there are personal appearance differences, but they generally collect the same stuff in the same way. The thing that matters is the mobile app and web app software that lets you see and make decisions on your data. FB is awesome, but I am not familiar with Jawbone's SW. You can setup a free FB account and then use the iPhone's M7 motion chip as an alternate hardware tracker. That would give you the ability to fully experience the FB environment. I assume you can do the same with the Jawbone.

 

[m11rphy]

Ok change of plan again, I have bought a Fitbit flex as it was only £34. I downloaded sync solver to get my steps in to Apple health. Works ok just a shame I have to keep manually syncing sync solver. Anyone know how to solve this

 

[exxxviii]

I downloaded sync solver to get my steps in to Apple health. Works ok just a shame I have to keep manually syncing sync solver. Anyone know how to solve this

So, my total genuine curiosity question is: "why do you want step data in Health?" That app is so bad, that I avoid it. FB's phone and web apps are infinitely better to me. Although I have all of my step and most of my workout activity in Health, I avoid it in favor of FB for analysis.

 

[maflynn]

I have to say I am impressed with fitbit's support. I'll be getting a fitbit surge replacement in the next day or so. I had contacted support because of condensation forming on the interior of the glass. Once I provided the requested info (picture of the issue, receipt, etc), they shipped it off.

The question of course now, is I have an opportunity to sell what amounts to a new in the box Surge. I can do that and then buy a Apple Watch.

I've said this before, I like the Surge's fitness tracking and ease of use to engage and view the metrics. The apple watch appears to be superior in the smart watch category.

 

[exxxviii]

The question of course now, is I have an opportunity to sell what amounts to a new in the box Surge. I can do that and then buy a Apple Watch.

I've said this before, I like the Surge's fitness tracking and ease of use to engage and view the metrics. The apple watch appears to be superior in the smart watch category.

I just put this in another thread... If activity tracking or fitness is a priority for you, these are many of the things that the AW cannot do in this space. So, it is worth researching and assessing how important any of these things are to you.

• Social features that link to others for seeing each others activity and engaging in challenges.
• Tools to input food to manage diet against calorie burn.
• Ability to manually enter activities and have them flow into the tracker device's metrics.
• A web UI for analyzing activity.
• Running support with with basics like pace and HR by mile/KM splits.
• Advanced running support with cadence, elevation changes, mapping, etc.
• Cycling support (similar basic & advanced).
• Precision: distance accurate within 5% sufficient, or is accuracy within <<1% needed.
• Ability to sync in activity data from other fitness devices (such as a Garmin watch for running or swimming).

 

[m11rphy]

So, my total genuine curiosity question is: "why do you want step data in Health?" That app is so bad, that I avoid it. FB's phone and web apps are infinitely better to me. Although I have all of my step and most of my workout activity in Health, I avoid it in favor of FB for analysis.

No real reason I just like it lol. I also have my witherings scale feeding it as well. I have linked the scale to my fitbit account also